IRISH RADIO IN 1988

The following is a list of Irish pirate radio stations that existed in 1988 (It will bring back memories for DXers). Most of these stations shut down at the end of 1988 when FF Minister Ray Burke's new broadcasting regime was then complied with. Note: Most major stations of that era broadcast on both MW and FM


MEDIUM WAVE/AM pirate stations in Ireland during 1988

A list from a publication available in early 1988 is used to compile this AM list, with some corrections and additions included from me. However it is not definitive, and no doubt there are some significant omissions. (See our Mayo contribution at the end of the page)

kHzNAME, location, also FM Frequencies (if known) used.
531SUNSHINE 101, Dublin. see FM list (also 846kHz in 1988)
657BLB (BRAY LOCAL BROADCASTING),Bray Co. Wicklow,also 97.8FM
702"WEST NATIONAL RADIO 3", Mullingar Co. Westmeath, and FM (Originally "Radio West", had also called itself "W.E.S.T." for a time(1986??)
792?Galtee Radio, Limerick also FM. Station reappeared during the late 1990s on FM only
738NRG 103 ("Energy 103"), Dublin, 103.1FM (Closed early 1988)
819Q102 ("Super Q" or "The Q") Dublin, See FM list
819CAVAN COMMUNITY RADIO, Cavan 98.1FM
828CBC (Clonmel Broadcasting Company) The Westgate, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. 99.1/102.6 FM
837K.I.T.S. 101FM Co. Monaghan.(Aimed at a Northern Ireland audience)
8??RADIO MUNSTER. Limerick. Also FM
846WLS MUSIC RADIO, Galway also 102.7FM (Closed 1987 or 1988??)
891TREBLE-T R (TTTR), Dublin (Country Music) 99.5FM
954"HITS 954", Limerick. also FM (Closed early 1988)
954BIG "M" COMMUNITY RADIO(relay) Castleblaney Co. Monaghan. 87.9/104FM
981HOMETOWN RADIO, Castleblaney Co. Monaghan. 98.6FM
981IRISH CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING SERVICE, Dublin
999TIPPERARY COMMUNITY RADIO (TCR), Tipperary Town. 99.9FM
999MIDWAY RADIO, Mullingar Co. Westmeath. 104.7FM
1008COMMUNITY RADIO WEXFORD, 87.9/101.1FM
1008NORTH DUBLIN COMMUNITY RADIO, Dublin 17. +FM
1008NORTH WEST COMMUNITY RADIO, Buncrana Co. Donegal. 98.1FM
1008KISS FM, Monaghan. 103.7FM-high ERP to Belfast!.(opened early 1988)
1026ABC RADIO, Waterford.("The Hot FM") 103.1FM and others
1035CENTRAL RADIO, Longford
1035LIBERTIES LOCAL COMMUNITY RADIO (LLCR), Dublin. also FM
1044EAST COAST RADIO, Ardee Co. Louth
1071LONGFORD COMMUNITY RADIO
1116HEARTBEAT FM, Dublin. See Dublin FM list (below)
1125RADIO CAROUSEL, Fairways Hotel Dundalk Co. Louth. 101FM
1125RADIO LUIMNI, Limerick 96.5/103.0FM
1125MELVIN COMMUNITY RADIO, Manorhamilton Co. Leitrim
1134NORTH WEST COMMUNITY RADIO (RELAY) see 1008kHz
1170BREFFNI RADIO, Kilnaleck, Co. Cavan
1188RADIO DUBLIN. Also 104.8/105.2FM (+Short Wave 6910kHz)
1197WLR-Waterford Local Radio,(studio: 24 Georges St. Waterford) also 88.9 FM
1197TELSTAR COMMUNITY RADIO, Dundalk Co. Louth also FM
1224KILDARE LOCAL BROADCASTING, Newbridge Co. Kildare.
1233BOYNESIDE RADIO ,Carrickcarnon Co. Louth 106.2FM
1233MID WEST RADIO (MWR) relay Co. Mayo
1242LAOIS COMMUNITY RADIO, Mountrath Co. Laois 102.1/102.8FM
1251ARKLOW COMMUNITY RADIO (ACR), Arklow Co. Wicklow. 99.2FM
1251ERNESIDE RADIO, Belturbet Co. Cavan
1251PREMIER COUNTY RADIO (originally CENTRE RADIO), Clonmel. Also FM
1260RADIO CAROUSEL NORTH, Carrickcarnon Co. Louth
1287RADIO NOVA, Fahan Co. Donegal
1305ERI. Whites Cross, Cork. Also on 97.7 FM
1305BOYNESIDE RADIO, Drogheda Co. Louth. 98.1/99.1 FM
1323BOYNESIDE RADIO, Kells Co. Meath 100.3 FM
1332MID WEST RADIO (MWR), Ballyhaunis Co. Mayo. 98.4FM
1359TALLAGHT COMMUNITY RADIO, Greenhills rd, Tallaght Dublin. also FM
1359CARLOW LOCAL RADIO, Castle Hill, Carlow, Co. Carlow
1386NORTH CORK COMMUNITY RADIO (NCCR),The Majestic Ballroom, Gooldshill Mallow Co. Cork. also FM "95 and 98"
1386RADIO CAROUSEL, Navan Co. Meath
1386KANDY RADIO, Ballinasloe Co. Galway. 98.0FM
1395KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO (KCR), Dama Lr., Ballycallan rd, Kilkenny 056-65254.(previously 1386kHz) 100.0FM
1413KILDARE COMMUNITY RADIO, Naas Co. Kildare
1413BIG "M" COMMUNITY RADIO, Castleblaney Co. Monaghan.also FM
1494RADIO MIDWAY, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
1503COMMUNITY RADIO YOUGHAL (CRY) Youghal Co. Cork. Also 99.2FM (studio)
1503WKLR (West corK Local Radio) Bandon Co. Cork. 95.5FM and others
1512CRYSTAL CITY SOUND, Waterford. 97.9FM
1566COAST 103, GALWAY. 103FM
1575COMMUNITY RADIO FINGAL/PULSAR 98.8, Loughshinney
1584VIKING 105, Wicklow. 105FM

FM STATIONS IN DUBLIN - 1988

THANKS TO BARRY FROM DUBLIN FOR THIS CONTRIBUTION:
"Here's a quite accurate bandscan from the very end of 1988. I've included one or two notes about the stations.
Stations marked * were either a commercial station; or a station that were widely listened to (such as BLB) in Dublin. Some of the others were hobby stations; others stations that were only really audible by anoraks."

MHzNameDetails
91.6Tallaght Community Radio(Tallaght) **Never regained the momentum they had as Wonderland Radio**
94.2Smile FM(Ballyfermot...this station was a split from Radio Dublin)
94.2DSCR(see 97.8)
94.83CR Community Radio(Clondalkin)
94.9Radio Nova (Satellite) relay (from the former Southside 95 DunLaoghaire)
95.5Heartbeat FM (Dolphins Barn) ***"The Heartbeat of Dublin City" with non-stop lovesongs. Became huge with female listeners!
95.8Capital/Nitesky (City Centre) *VERY influential station at the time. They played album tracks and a lot of new music; presenters were studenty but professional
96.3Zike FM(Balinteer; VERY small hobby pirate)
97.?Phoenix FM(Blanchardstown) ***Professional community station
97.4Radio West ("West National Radio 3")(Mullingar) ***A station that always tried to broadcast to Dublin, but never took off in the City
97.8Dublin South Community Radio (Dundrum. Since licenced, v. boring)
97.8BLB (Bray)***Bray Local Broadcasting; great station at the time, its legal version as East Coast is a pale imitation
98.0Boyneside Radio(Drogheda) ***A station, like Radio West, which often had aspirations towards the Dublin market, but never really penetrated it
98.5CLASS 98.5(City Centre) ****Dublin's easy listening station. Originally called K.L.A.S, they were huge with the old folk!
98.8Pulsar 98/Community Radio Fingal(Skerries)
99.1Treble T-R
99.5Treble T-R(Harolds Cross)****Dublin's country music station. Were hugely popular with older listeners
99.9'Super'Q102
100.3Sunshine 101
100.9Sunshine 101
101.5Sunshine 101(Portmarnock) ***Ireland's first SUPERPIRATE. At this stage in 1988 they were still using the 'Hot Hit' format, despite Q102 trying to muscle in on the audience
101.9'Super'Q102
102.5'Super'Q102
103.0'Super'Q102(City Centre) *****SUPER PIRATE; grew out of DJ discontent with Radio Nova; by the end of 1988, had started running the controversial Bill Cunningham 'Hot Hit' format
103.5Liberty 104****originally a community station for the area, but lost its way, particularly in 1988, when station management just grew bored
104.0Liberty 104(the Liberties area)
104.4Hope 104(City Centre) ****Soft A/C station, with 'inspirational messages!
104.8Radio Dublin
105.2Radio Dublin(Inchicore) ***** Need we say more about Radio Dublin?
105.5North Dublin Community Radio (NDCR)(Phibsboro) See Note 1 below
105.6Kiss 106 relay(was originally another pirate called Zee 105.6)
105.9Turbo FM(Donnybrook)
106.1Signal 106(Rathfarnham)
106.5Kiss 106 (Stillorgan; the first station I ever jocked for)
106.9Q107(Ballyfermot; station opened up after a split with Smile FM)

Note 1: Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000, received from Kiss FM Cork's DJ Shay/DJ KAOS re. NDCR 105.5: "On your page pirates of the past you list NDCR as being in Phibsboro it was actually based 1st over the garage at Ulster Bank in Coolock and then moved to over Cahill Motors at Northside S.C. as Cahill Motors sponsored the Drivetime"



CORK CITY & COUNTY FM STATIONS - 1988

FM stations in Cork City and nearby

88.0KLFJ(KLFJ="Keep Looking For Jesus") - low power UCB type station with Christian music, used a Cork PO Box address, opened early 1988. Uncertain where the studio was but phonebook gave an address in Blarney
95.0Centre Radio(moved from 101.0FM during 1988,was originally Leeside Radio(the 2nd)) on 101.5. Broadcast from Shandon Street.
96.0Sunshine RadioThis was a station which made considerable use of repeating pre-recorded programmes! It broadcast from the former (now demolished) Cameo cinema near Collins Barracks. Had also operated for a time from a location in the Blackpool area, but with much reduced coverage.
97.7ERIalso 1305kHz MW. Studio at 'Fort 97' Whites Cross. Transmitters were at Hollyhill since 1986.
98.5South Coast Radio(Not the original!- formerly WBEN until late 1987), studio was at The Pyramid Snooker Club, Vicars Rd.,Togher - during latter part of 1988. Transmitter near Spur Hill
100.0WKLR relay(A relay of WKLR from Bandon (95.5) serving the city area from a site near Airport)
104Phoenix Radio(very small station with primitive equipment) no further details

FM stations in Cork County:

95, 98North Cork Community Radio (NCCR)also 1386khz MW
95.5WKLRmain transmitter at Cashelmore near Bandon (+other relays, frequencies 99,100.0 etc.) also 1503kHz MW in Bandon area.
99.2Community Radio Youghal (CRY)99.2 from the studio ( 2 South Main St, Youghal). Very limited FM coverage unlike its 1503kHz (200 metres) MW signal.
104Ballincollig Community Radio(opened 1988 serving the large Cork suburb of Ballincollig), see Note 2 below. This station had initially appeared on '106' before moving down to '104'.
?Radio Mallow Spa Square, Mallow (Broadcast during the final months of 1988 and was a breakaway faction from NCCR )

Note 2: Thanks to Mervyn Horgan for this: "the studio of Ballincollig Community Radio used to be in a place locally known as 'The Arcade' just off The Square in Ballincollig village... -Mervyn Horgan (who used to go there as a kid)"

FM, MW in Mayo + surrounding counties, 1988

Thanks to our Mayo correspondent Mike of Castlebar for the following 
additions: (received 1/2001):
"738AM was the Independent Radio Mayo 1kW rig (formerly used by Radio
Leinster) IRM also used 95.7 FM, coverage on AM was Excellent but was
poor on FM
Midwest in addition to 1233 and 1332 used various FM frequencies from
memory 97.0 97.95 and 106.0 were among them
TCR 95 (Twin County Radio 94.1/95.3 and 103FM) Based in Ballina this
short lived (Late 1988) station was supposed to cover Mayo and Sligo
with a 1.2 Kilowatt signal (The most powerful FM pirate ever to
broadcast in Mayo). Unfortunately the station was constantly dogged by
technical difficulties which meant that full power was rarely
achieved. Indeed it was sometimes as low as 20 watts.
West National Radio 3 had a relay in Galway on 711 kHz
1512 was Roscommon Radio (actually based in Mohill Co Leitrim) using
the former Radio Rainbow International (Drogheda SW station).
1260 ???? (from memory) was Galway District Radio. Somewhere I have a
(badly photocopied) Anoraks Ireland nationwide Bandscan from April
1988. If I come across it I'll send it on."

'FM only' stations across the country not already mentioned above

(Mostly from the 1988 World Radio TV Handbook : very incomplete and DOES NOT include stations on both MW and FM. Some of thse stations may have closed before 1988 See MW list (at top) for those)

  
  CENTRE RADIO, c/o Larry Keogh's, Prosperous, Co. Kildare
  CITY CENTRE RADIO (CCR) 29 Roches St. Limerick 97.0/101.0FM
  HORIZON RADIO  Castlebridge Co. Wexford 
  DUNGARVAN COMMUNITY RADIO, 64 O'Connell St., Dungarvan Co. Waterford. 98.9FM
  BIG "K" RADIO, c/o Henneverry's sports shop, Ash St. Tralee Co. Kerry 104.0FM 
  KERRY REGIONAL RADIO SERVICES, Market House, Rock St. Tralee Co. Kerry
  KINGDOM 102,  County Kerry
  RADIO VERA, Limerick
  WRKY RADIO ("Wonderful Radio KerrY" or "RocKY 103") 40 High St. Killarney Co. Kerry 103.5FM
(unsure when the above closed, probably was before 1988)
  SOUTH WEST RADIO. Killarney Co. Kerry
  WCR (WEST COAST RADIO?) Co. Kerry/Co. Limerick border area.
  ATHLONE LOCAL RADIO, Burgess Chambers, Church St., Athlone Co. Westmeath.
  AMS, Kilkenny City
  ORMONDE RADIO, Nenagh Co. Tipperary (???) 
and many others...(The AM listings are fairly complete however)
Cork Radio stations - old newspaper cuttings
Brian K's recollections of pirate radio during the 1980s in County Kerry - his website seems to be no longer available, but this page was saved by me
'THE IRISH ERA' - Irish Pirate Radio History
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